Lacewood Medical Centre closing permanently
Thousands of Nova Scotia patients will be looking for a new family doctor in 2014 after learning a Clayton Park clinic is shutting its doors permanently.
Several patients showed up at the Lacewood Medical Centre this weekend hoping to get some answers after hearing it would be closing down in March.
Owner Dr. Michael Power said he's lost four family doctors this year and hasn't been able to replace them.
“I'm very sorry I wasn't able to save my clinic,” he said. “We have approximately 20,000 patients here that three family doctors are now managing.”
Power owns the building and said he can no longer afford to keep it going.
“There are many different bills that have to be paid in order to support a clinic of this size and the number of physicians that we have simply can't do that,” he said.
Hugh McKervill, a long-time patient, said he was surprised to hear the clinic will be closing.
“For elderly people, having a reliable, medical doctor at hand and knowing you can get in there and within reason, it's a big issue,” he said.
The province says physician recruitment is a priority, but not at private clinics like the Lacewood Medical Centre.
Judy MacMillan said she’s walking away disappointed.
“We have tried four different places just since last Thursday and nobody is taking any new patients.”
Power said he’s planning to move to Ontario to practice.
“I can't believe the compassion in this clinic,” said patient Richard Hall. “And to lose it? It's an awful shame.”
The clinic closes for good March 28.
